When patio door glass cracks or breaks, it is important to fix the door quickly to keep your family safe. A broken patio door window makes your home easier for criminals to break into, and if there is jagged glass left in the door, it poses a safety hazard to small children, pets, and even adults. Whether you have swinging, sliding, French, or any other patio door style, make sure you fix your door(s) promptly to re-secure your home and eliminate the safety hazard it poses. Read on to learn dos and don'ts for fixing your patio door quickly and safely.

Do: Replace Only the Glass if The Rest of the Door is Still in Good Shape

If your patio door glass has been broken or cracked for some time now and you still haven't replaced it, your reluctance may simply be due to the fear that you will have to spend a fortune on a new door or even a new full set of doors. If the frame has been damaged severely, then of course you need to replace it. However, if the frame is still in good shape and only the patio door glass is damaged, then the good news is that you can simply replace only the glass that is broken.

If the broken glass is made of one single pane, then you need to replace that one pane. However, if your patio door has double-pane glass and only one pane is cracked, then you will need to replace both panes at once, since most double-pain windows today have argon gas between the panes, which makes them more energy-efficient. Simply replacing the broken pane will not restore your window to its original condition.

Don't: Replace the Original Glass with Random Glass from a Scrap Yard

While it is possible to replace the patio door glass yourself if you are an avid DIY-er and feel you can perform all the steps to replace it on your own, it is very important to make sure you replace it with tempered glass. This means that finding a random piece of glass at a scrap yard or one you have left over from another home DIY project and cutting it to fit your patio door is a very bad idea that would leave your door extremely hazardous to your family in the future.

Tempered glass is four times stronger than traditional, also called annealed, glass. When tempered glass breaks, it shatters into small pieces that are less likely to harm someone than the sharp shards of glass that are created when annealed glass breaks.

While it may be possible to find tempered glass in a scrap yard, you would not be able to use the glass unless it was already the exact size you need to replace your patio door glass. That is because tempered glass cannot be cut. If you were to attempt to cut it, it would simply shatter, and you would then no longer be able to use it to replace your patio door glass.

Compared to having your entire patio door replaced, like you may have thought you had to, having a professional replace the glass is a very affordable option. However, if you feel you are up to the challenge of replacing the glass yourself, then follow these steps:

Measure your door's window opening, subtract one-quarter inch from both the height and width measurements of the opening, and provide these measurements to a patio door replacement glass manufacturer.

Once your glass arrives, remove the trim that holds the current glass in place. It may be secured by nails or screws, so prepare to use the necessary tools to remove it.

Line the perimeter of the glass opening with plenty of silicone caulk, and then secure the glass firmly in place.

Replace the glass trim and any nails or screws that were holding it in place before you removed it.

Depending on the size and type of your patio door, you may want to recruit a friend to help you replace the door. Always make sure broken glass fragments are handled safely only while wearing gloves and disposed of safely.

If your patio door is broken or cracked and you are holding off on repairing it due to the belief that you will have to replace the entire door or even full set of doors, then the good news is that you will only have to replace the patio door glass if the frame is still in good condition. Order your new window glass replacement soon, because a broken patio door is a safety hazard to your family and makes your home less secure from intruders.

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About Me

When I am not working at my 9-5 job, my favorite hobby is helping out with local theater productions. While I don't act, I perform just about any task they need done behind-the-scenes, and I love doing my part to help the community. My favorite task is building stage sets, and I look forward to every new one I get to build. I take pride in my great craftsmanship and creativity when building, and I have never had a set that the actors and directors didn't love. I also love working around the house, so I decided to start a blog where I could share my construction tips of all types. Whether you are a home DIY enthusiast or looking for some design inspiration before you hire a local building contractor, come back soon for plenty of tips!